New Candidates for Duane’s District Emerge As Johnson Endorses Hoylman [Update]

Developments have continued to roll in for the race to replace retiring State Senator Tom Duane this week.

First, Corey Johnson, a Manhattan community board chair who was previously considering campaigning for the seat, announced that will forgo a campaign and instead endorse the establishment favorite Brad Hoylman, the chair of a neighboring community board.

“I’m proud to join the growing list of community leaders and elected officials who are endorsing Brad’s candidacy for State Senate,” Mr. Johnson said in a statement this afternoon. “Tom Duane leaves big shoes to fill — he has served our neighborhoods on the West Side for over 20 years. Tom been an exemplary leader in fighting on behalf of tenants, for more affordable health care and making marriage equality the law of the land in New York.”

“Brad has been a colleague as Chair of Community Board 2 with a sterling record of service on behalf of the neighborhoods he’s represented,” he continued. “I’m proud to support his campaign. He will be an leading voice of reform in Albany and an outstanding State Senator.”

Additionally, several knowledgeable politicos in the district have said the owner of The Ritz bar in Hells Kitchen, Tommy Greco, is planning a campaign for the seat himself. Mr. Greco, the fundraising chair for the influential Jim Owles club and the executive vice president of the McManus Midtown Democratic Club, likely would be able to raise a solid amount of money for his electoral efforts.

If he pulls the trigger on a campaign, he might join Martha Speranza, who just filed a campaign committee for the seat today. The district number on the registration was Mr. Duane’s old district, which was renumbered under redistricting, but as her address is listed smack in the middle of Mr. Duane’s district, she may very well be a candidate for this seat. More details on Ms. Speranza’s potential candidacy were not immediately available.

Update: Andrew Moesel, a spokesman for Mr. Greco’s campaign, confirmed that they’re taking off the ground.

“We are certaily planning on running, we are collecting petitions and attending local political club meetings,” he explained. “We want to give people a real choice here. We think democracy should never be a coronation and he’s making sure that it’s not. Too often the insiders are controlling things.”